Inset, left to right: Sheaves Slate (CPD) and Michael Altman (CFD). Background: The area in Chicago where Slate allegedly started the fire that killed Altman (WLS).
An Illinois man, aged 27, stands accused in the tragic death of a seasoned Chicago firefighter. The incident is tied to allegations that he ignited a mattress in the basement boiler room of an apartment building he once called home, obstructed access to the fire, and left without alerting the occupants.
Sheaves Slate faces serious charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated arson, and residential arson, following the devastating fire that claimed the life of firefighter Michael Altman.
According to prosecutors, the blaze erupted shortly after Slate had an altercation with the building’s residents. During this confrontation, he allegedly made ominous threats, warning them they “are going to pay,” as reported by local Fox affiliate WFLD reported.
Court documents reveal that although Slate had moved out of the building approximately nine months earlier, he frequently returned, reportedly gaining unauthorized entry through a broken window to squat in the basement near the boiler room, according to local ABC affiliate WLS reported.
In the period leading up to the fire, several tenants observed him trespassing in restricted sections of the building despite being repeatedly asked to leave.
On March 15, Slate allegedly demanded to meet a former roommate, and when entry was denied, he grew agitated, allegedly threatening the tenants that they “are going to pay” for denying him access.
One tenant even called 911 during the disturbance but quickly canceled any law enforcement response after believing Slate had left, local PBS affiliate WTTW reported. Surveillance footage and witness accounts indicate he remained in the building overnight, at one point sleeping in a hallway.
At about 4 a.m. on March 16, several hours after the canceled 911 call, another resident reportedly spotted Slate in the building and ordered him to leave. The defendant left, but soon reentered through the broken basement window, spending hours inside the boiler room. There, he allegedly used a lighter to set a mattress on fire. When the flames grew, he positioned a door in front of the room — a move investigators say concealed the fire and delayed discovery — before leaving without calling for help.
Smoke began spreading through the building shortly before 11:30 a.m., prompting multiple 911 calls.
Responding crews included Altman, a 32-year-old Chicago Fire Department firefighter assigned to Truck 47. Prosecutors say firefighters in the basement moved the door blocking the room, triggering a collapse of the first-floor structure above them.
Altman, who was operating on the first floor, fell into the basement and was engulfed in flames. He suffered burns to 90% of his body and died the following day.
After leaving the scene, Slate allegedly took public transit to the Harold Washington Library, where he changed clothes and dyed his hair. He later checked himself into a hospital for suicidal thoughts, where he was taken into custody.
Prosecutors say Slate ultimately admitted to starting the fire, telling investigators he acted while depressed and suicidal.
A judge described Slate as a threat to the community, citing allegations he has a “penchant for setting fires” while also noting his prior legal issues and an outstanding warrant at the time of the blaze, WLS reported. The judge ultimately ordered Slate to be held in custody without bond.
“We are all grieving the tragic loss of Michael Altman — a young father and dedicated firefighter who followed in his family’s footsteps to serve and protect others,” Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke said in a statement. “His death is a profound loss for the Chicago Fire Department, his family and loved ones, and communities across Cook County.”
Altman, a fourth-generation firefighter, is survived by his wife and a young child, with another child on the way. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called him “not just a public servant, but a true hero,” praising his “courage, bravery, and strength” in the line of duty.
Slate is currently due back in court April 8.
